Get your festival bandThe Medieval Week is Sweden’s largest historical festival. Every summer, the past is brought to life on Gotland for eight days. Welcome to the world’s best medieval experiance!
Photo Sara Rosenquist
Splash into Medieval Week
Medieval Week is a fantastic event that offers something for everyone. A magical place that gives visitors the chance to experience a piece of the Middle Ages. Medieval Week on Gotland is known for its fantastic performances, jousting, lectures, food and much more. Every year the festival attracts thousands of visitors who come to enjoy all the activities on offer.
The 2025 theme of Medieval Week is water.
Water was one of the most important parts of life for people in the Middle Ages, as it still is today. Travel and transport by ship, fresh water for drinking, cooking, and agriculture. As an island, water has been critical to Gotland over the millennia. Many graves on Gotland as well as mainland Sweden from the bronze age through the iron age are crafted of stones in the shape of ships.
Medieval Week 2025, 3-10 August will draw attention to the role of water in the Middle Ages with lectures and workshops focusing on the history and importance of the water. Medieval Week 2025 is a great opportunity to learn more about the role of water in the Middle Ages and to experience the medieval culture and history that Gotland has to offer. There will also be pirates…
FACTS
Medieval Week on Gotland has been organized since 1984 and is Sweden’s largest historical festival. In 2020, Medieval Week won the Grand Tourism Award for the second time. The festival lasts eight days from August 3-10, Sunday week 31 to Sunday week 32. Medeltidsveckan AB is owned by a non-profit foundation, which was founded as a research foundation with a focus on public education. The founders are Gotland’s museum, Gotland’s educational association, Gotland’s home town association, Gotland’s tourist association, the medieval guild and Region Gotland!
- When: Medieval Week lasts for eight days, from Sunday to Sunday, August 3-10, 2025.
- Where: Most of the activities take place in Visby, but also in Gotland’s countryside. Here below you will find a map!
- How: Festival Bands can be found on Nortic and the tickets here in our programme.
- What: Medival week is a historical cultural festival, outdoor in ruins, the streets and parks, and indoors at museums, churches, conference halls and medieval taverns.
- Accommodations: Our modern and medieval campsite is within walking distance!
- Weather: Gotland has more sun hours in the summer than most of the country. Prepare with water and seek out shade. There is also chance for wind and rain, so pack for shifting weather conditions. As most of the festival is open air, many shows continue even if there is a drizzle. The tournaments will pause should there be risk of lightning. Typically the summer rain is short and soon there is sun again and perhaps a rainbow.
How does it work?
Get the festival band and pre-book tickets (release in spring). It’s also fine to just show up and we’ll help you and your family plan your dream summer in the Middle Ages!
Everyone is welcome just as they are. Many choose to dress up in medieval costume. There are lots of groups on social media that prepare costumes and medieval camping. It is also possible to find coats, shoes and other things at our markets.
Photo Mike Fergusson
Then it’s time to just watch knights on horseback, drink something cold, take a crafting course, practice archery, listen to a concert or picnic along the beach, while waiting for some ruin show or performance in some moat! Most things are within walking distance. If you want to be sure of getting a seat at a particular favourite, it is good to book tickets in advance. A lot of program points sell out even before the premiere day.
The tournament with a couple of thousand in the audience is a beloved tradition with Torneamentum’s knights and horses and Gutar’s archers, national gold winners both.
Photo Isabelle MacKenzie
Q and A!
If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact one of our medieval hosts in our Visitor Center during the festival (located at the Botanical Gardens). Or send us an E-mail.
Over twenty medieval venues
- Medieval Week Visitor Center • Russtibus Stage • Riddargård (children’s area)
- The Medieval arena • Jousting • The Kitchen Stage • Craft areas • Coffee and Food
- Fighting Arenan • Historical Encampment Exhibition • Gutars Bågskyttar • Stockholmsfänikan • Gantarna • Proknekt mfl.
- The Handicraft Market • The jester meadow “Gycklar Änget”•
The fairy tale meadow “Sagoängen”• Nordlys Vikingarnas battle area - Visitor Center • Paviljongsplan
- Food Court • Stage Forum Vulgaris
- Medieval Week modern camp ground
- S:t Göran ruin stage
- Nordegravar • S:t Göran bridge
- S:t Nicolai ruin stage • Medieval tavern Bistra Haren & Frimis
- Helge Ands ruin stage
- S:t Clemens ruin stage
- Medieval Tavern Kapitelhusgården • Courses • The Stage Forum Kapitulum
- S:ta Maria Church
- S:t Lars ruin Stage
- S:ta Karin ruin stage • Medieval tavern Klosterlängan • Town square
- “The old Apothecary” • Strand Hotel Theatre Stage
- Gotland’s Museum • Sävesalen • The tourist office • Donners Plats
- “Almedalen”
- “Hästarnas dal” • Medieval camp ground • Battle of Wisby Camp
- “Tjärkokeriet” (Not in use)
- The South Square • Wisby Hof
